The Captain and the Queen
by AngelOfDarkness1959
Summary: "'Perhaps I can help with that.'" Before Hook could answer, she leaned over and pressed her lips to his." Grimhilde/Hook.
1. Denial

Yes, yes, I _know_ I should be working on _Genesis of a Villain_, but I've been meaning to write this story since I got _Hello_ up. The story takes place August 1997.

**Disclaimer:** If I owned Disney, do you _really_ think I'd be writing this on my computer? I didn't think so.

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><p>There were times when Queen Grimhilde well and truly hated the opposite sex. This was one of those times.<p>

"Come on, Grimhilde, just one date. You know you want to."

Grimhilde's green eyes narrowed at the intruder to her personal space.

"Gaston." She spoke as calmly and patiently as she could under the circumstances. "I really don't know how much clearer I can be. I have absolutely no desire to go on a date with you. I never have, and I never will. End of story."

The muscle-bound hunter looked confused.

"But no woman can say no to Gaston!"

Grimhilde rolled her eyes. Had he forgotten about Belle? Then again, knowing Gaston, it wasn't as far-fetched as it sounded. Without answering, she stood up and went to leave the room, filled to the brim with annoyance. Several other villains (for this was the monthly Villain Meeting), saw her bad mood and quickly skittered out of her way.

It was not that Grimhilde disliked being flirted with – quite the contrary, she loved it – but once she expressed her lack of interest, she expected the man in question to be able to _take a hint_ and leave her alone. Where Gaston was concerned, however, this was akin to asking for a miracle. What was it about the concept of the word "no" that was so difficult for him to comprehend?

So angry was Grimhilde that she did not notice her fellow villain until she had quite literally run into him. The first thing her eyes caught was a flash of red, and she immediately assumed that Gaston had followed her.

"You again?" she spat. "My answer is no! What do I have to say to make you understand?"

"I think you've mistaken me for someone else, m'dear," a smooth voice that definitely did not belong to Gaston replied. Grimhilde looked up and felt her cheeks darken in a blush when she saw that the villain in question was Captain Hook. She rushed to compose herself; Hook was one of her oldest friends, even more so than Maleficent, and she wished for it to stay that way.

"So I have. My apologies, James," she said. "I thought that you were Gaston." A flattering smile crossed her face. "Thank heaven for small favors, hmm?"

Hook took a moment to preen at her compliment before asking in a sympathetic voice, "Still having trouble with him, then?"

"When _aren't_ I having trouble with him?" Grimhilde sighed and leaned against the wall. "I swear, the man was dropped on his head as a child."

"I can relate," Hook replied with a snicker. "Perhaps we should try and set him up with Mim."

"If only it were that easy," Grimhilde said, her smile growing wider at the image Hook's words created. The self-proclaimed Magnificent Marvelous Mad Madam Mim had quite the crush on the poor captain, and if his accounts of their interactions were anything to go by, the perky little witch was as relentless as Gaston. "Perhaps if she were a bit prettier…"

"I doubt even that would work. We all know Gaston only settles for the best when it comes to beauty. That's why he's chasing after you."

"Flattery will only get you so far, James," Grimhilde teased, though her green eyes were glowing with satisfaction. "Speaking of madwomen, have you seen Cruella around? She's supposed to drive me home."

"Oh." Hook suddenly looked uncomfortable. Grimhilde raised an eyebrow.

"What's wrong?"

"Cruella left ten minutes ago."

"What?" Ignoring the flinches and stares of several other villains, Grimhilde balled her dainty hands into fists. How _dare_ Cruella leave her here! She _knew_ that Grimhilde has been relying on her for transportation. Not once considering that this was because of the many criticisms she had made concerning her friend's driving, the former queen looked to the nearby window and was treated to an unpleasant sight. The once-pretty summer day had taken a turn for the rainy. "Terrific."

_Now I'll have to walk home in his dreadful weather, and I'll end up getting pneumonia and my voice will sound like the hag's –_

"Grimhilde, if you're in need of a ride, I'd be more than happy to offer my services."

Grimhilde favored Hook with her most charming smile. "Thank you, James. It's nice to see that chivalry is going down fighting, as it were."

She went to get her coat and was made aware of the odd looks some of her fellow villains were giving her. Gaston's face had twisted into the pained expression it usually adopted after an arm-wrestling contest with Hercules, while Ursula was giving her a sly smile and a thumbs up. Grimhilde was too confused to respond to either of them.

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><p>"What's this?" Grimhilde tapped a photograph that had been taped to the dashboard. Hook glanced at it briefly.<p>

"The picture we took for Hades's rebirth."

From the time of _Cinderella_ on, it had been insisted that the villains (and heroes, though separately) be photographed together whenever there was an addition to their odd little family so as to document its growth. Most of the villains didn't see the point of this, but they all went along with it because it had been Walt's idea.

Grimhilde took a closer look at the photograph, green eyes seeking out herself. She found her image easily enough and was pleased to see that it looked flawless (as usual). Somehow, Hook had wound up next to her, looking rather handsome. Grimhilde frowned, wondering why she would think that. Even if it was true.

"Here we are," Hook announced. Grimhilde started to thank him before catching sight of an odd look in his eyes. It was almost as if he didn't want her to leave. She decided to play along.

"Missing me already?" Somehow her voice didn't seem to have the usual light, teasing quality to it.

"Always, m'dear," Hook assured her, and to Grimhilde's mind, his voice sounded different too. A sudden boldness came over her, accompanied by a strange warmth. Smiling, she ran a finger along his jaw line.

"Perhaps I can help with that."

Before Hook could answer, she leaned over and pressed her lips to his. Heat flooded her, and she pulled him closer, eager for more. Oh, it had been far too long since she had done this. She felt Hook's solitary hand against the back of her head, and the light pressure was enough to snap her back into reality. Abruptly, she pulled away, green eyes wide with horror.

_What have I done?_

"I'm sorry," Grimhilde stammered, groping desperately for the door handle. "That – that shouldn't have happened."

She unlocked the door and darted inside, ignoring Hook calling after her. When she was in her home once more, she became acutely aware of her pounding heart and sank to the floor, not caring that she was dripping water all over the expensive carpet.

Before today, Grimhilde had not kissed a man since Henry. She had never seen the need – her game was flirting, nothing more. She had never been interested enough in anyone to do anything more. Well, except Hook, it seemed. Grimhilde's mind replayed every encounter with him she could remember. All the flattery, calling her dear… she had always thought it was a joke between them, a game even, but now she realized that he had been serious… and at some point, she had become serious as well, without even knowing it. It was no accident that the two had ended up side by side in that photograph, and she found herself wondering if that was why Hook kept it with him.

No matter. Grimhilde shook her head, as though it would make the thoughts go away. She knew what she had to do. She had to squash her feelings and get rid of any Hook had for her. She had to stop this before it got too far – better yet, before it began. One finger slipped beneath her balaclava and ran along the distinctive outline of the scar left there all those years ago. She had learned her lesson the first time around.

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><p>Grimhilde tracked Hook down at his home the very next day, and before he could so much as open his mouth, she calmly explained that what had happened between them was a mistake. She didn't know what had come over her. She was very sorry for making him think otherwise, but it was best for both of them if they remained friends.<p>

Hook said he understood, and Grimhilde left, relieved that the matter was over with and ignoring the ache that had started to form in her chest. It was probably nothing anyway.

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><p>Denial – it's not just a river in Egypt. Part two coming soon.<p> 


	2. Acceptance

**Disclaimer:** See Chapter One.

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><p>Grimhilde was wrong. The ache in her chest had not gone away; if anything, it was worse now. She decided to keep a low profile amongst her fellow villains until it left her, using the excuse that she was feeling under the weather.<p>

Her plan might have worked had she not answered the persistent knocking at her door one week after her inopportune kiss. She opened it and found Hook standing on the other side, his hat in his hand. The former queen was suddenly overwhelmed by about a dozen different emotions, and she didn't have the faintest clue which of them was the appropriate one to feel at the moment.

"Yes?"

"Can I talk to you?"

Grimhilde raised an eyebrow, and against her better judgment, she let him in her home.

"What do you want, James?" she inquired, wearily sinking onto her couch. Hook remained standing.

"Are we going to just pretend that it never happened?"

"That was my plan," Grimhilde replied coolly, a frown crossing her pale, pretty face. "Why? Can't you?"

"No, I'm afraid it's quite well-ingrained in my mind." Hook kneeled down so that they were eye-level and began toying with his trademark hook, gathering his nerves. "Grimhilde… I care for you. Very much so."

When a person puts their heart on the line for you, there are a few things that you are not supposed to do. One of those things is laugh. Grimhilde did just that. It was a short, bitter sound void of any humor whatsoever. Hook leapt to his feet, red-faced both from anger and embarrassment.

"What's so blasted funny about that?"

Grimhilde sobered up quickly. "Well, excuse me for not leaping for joy," she drawled, paraphrasing the words of a certain lion comrade of theirs. "You see, the last man to say those words to me that was the same man who gave me _this_."

She yanked the balaclava down to reveal her scar. Hook gaped at it, apparently at a loss for words. This didn't surprise Grimhilde; she had never told anyone about it. She caught a glimpse of the scar in one of the many mirrors hanging on her wall and winced. She had not looked at it in years – the first thing she did in the morning was cover her neck with the balaclava – and wasn't completely prepared for the blackened skin that marred her otherwise perfect body.

"Who…?" Hook blinked, his voice trailing off.

"Snow White's father," Grimhilde said bluntly, pulling the balaclava back up to cover her neck. She felt her muscles relax almost immediately, for she was flawless once more.

"Lucky he's already dead." Hook's voice was eerily calm. "Otherwise I'd keelhaul him myself."

"No need to worry about that. I took care of him myself." A fleeting smile crossed Grimhilde's face, fading when she was brought back to the present. "Do you understand now? Why this can't happen?"

"You think I'd hurt you?" Hook sounded almost offended. "M'dear, there's not a person in this town foolish enough to do _that_. Least of all me."

"I know. It's just…" Grimhilde bit her lip, trying to come up with a way to explain this. In the back of her mind, she knew what Hook said was true, but at the same time… "I don't trust myself anymore," she confessed. Hook was quiet for a moment.

"What about me?"

"Hmm?"

"Do you think you can trust me?"

Green eyes stared hard into hazel, searching for the slightest trace of insincerity or a falsehood and receiving only honesty. Well, as honest as a villain could be, at any rate.

"Yes." The word was out of her red-painted mouth before Grimhilde had any time to contemplate it, and while she frowned, she also found that she did not regret speaking it, not one bit.

"Could that be enough?"

"I don't know," Grimhilde admitted. She shifted closer to Hook. "Perhaps… perhaps we could see for ourselves?"

"I would like that very much, m'dear." Hook's expression was that of a pirate that had finally stumbled across the ultimate treasure.

Now allowing herself to smile as well, Grimhilde leaned forward and lightly pressed her mouth against his. It was a far cry from their previous kiss, but still she felt Hook's arms wind around her slender waist, pulling her closer, and her smile grew wider.

When it ended, Hook asked when an air of great seriousness, "Should I pretend that never happened either?"

Grimhilde smirked and flicked his nose.

"Not if you want any more."

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><p>In no time at all, it seemed that the next Villain Meeting had rolled around. A sharp elbow to the side from Ursula distracted Cruella from her magazine, and the fur-crazed heiress felt her eyes widen when she saw the reason behind it.<p>

Hook and Grimhilde had arrived together, and her left hand was entwined with his right. Gaston was staring at them, open-mouthed in disbelief, and Mim looked as though she was going to burst into tears at any moment. Ursula, however, was grinning from ear to ear.

"What did I tell you?" she remarked. "All they needed was a little push."

"How did you know?" Cruella asked, looking more than a little awed.

"What can I say?" Ursula took a sip of her water. "Helping poor unfortunate souls is what I live for. Even if they don't know when they're being helped."


End file.
